Network management can be simplified by having all network configuration information accessible from a single location. Current implementations do not provide any such repository for several types of important data, such as switch name or switch IP address. An administrator, or automated administrative data collection task, is therefore required to establish a connection with each individual switch to query for the information. In large networks, this quickly becomes a cumbersome procedure.
Information stored in the Topology Database (TDB) is shared between all switches in a PNNI peer group (a logical collection of switches). Therefore, if switches place their configuration information in the TDB, all other switches in the PNNI peer group will have access to it as well. The network administrator will then be able to retrieve the relevant data for all of the switches in the peer group from a single location.